AUBURN, Ala. – From inside the Tigers Den at Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday, members of the 2022 Auburn baseball team opened boxes containing rings commemorating their special season, then gathered to exclaim their rallying cry one more time.
"Bad News!"
"So much hard work and dedication that all these guys showed throughout the entire time we were here at Auburn University," said shortstop and captain Brody Moore, who came up with the idea of trying to deliver bad news to those who picked Auburn to finish last in the SEC West. "It's awesome to get something to look at and be able to say, 'We did that.'"
What the 2022 Tigers did was finish 16-13 in SEC play, sweep an NCAA regional at home by outscoring opponents 51-18, defeat No. 3 Oregon State in the Corvallis Super Regional to advance to the College World Series for the second time in time in three postseasons, and win a game in Omaha for the first time in 25 years.
"Those guys are my brothers for life," Moore said. "I would do anything for them at any point in time. There's nobody I'd rather go to war with than those guys who were on my team."
After receiving their rings, the 2022 Tigers received an ovation from fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium between the first and second quarters of the Arkansas game.
"It's what you dream of," said Trace Bright, the winning pitcher in Auburn's 6-2 CWS victory vs. Stanford with a program-record eight strikeouts. "That's what you come to Auburn for. It's great to be back with all the guys who have graduated to celebrate this.
"Everybody was so close. We fought together. We were in battle every weekend together and that's what the SEC is. It's all about being a team and getting through the ups and downs of the SEC throughout the year."
Blake Rambusch joined Auburn for the 2022 season after playing junior college baseball in Texas, leading off and earning All-SEC Defensive Team honors at third base while leading the league with 80 regular season hits.
"This group of guys has been one of the greatest things that's ever happened to me in my life," Rambusch said. "The memories are what this ring symbolizes."
Along with an AU logo and the player or coach's name, each ring contains the "Bad News" motto.
"That was what brought us together," Rambusch said. "A group of guys who bought into an idea and sold out on it. It was amazing."
Now the attention turns to the 2023 season. Gone to start professional careers are stars like Moore, Bright, Rambusch, SEC Player of the Year Sonny DiChiara, closer Blake Burkhalter and fellow pitchers Mason Barnett, Hayden Mullins and Carson Skipper.
Returning are leaders like Kason Howell, Joseph Gonzalez, Bobby Peirce and Nate LaRue, emboldened by the confidence acquired during their journey to Omaha.
"Whenever you have a moment like last year, you have it for life," said Butch Thompson, entering his eighth season as Auburn's head coach. "It symbolically ends last year and gets us into something hopefully bigger and brighter on the horizon. What a special day to share that with the Auburn family."
"What a special day to share that with the Auburn family."
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) October 29, 2022
🗣@3strikes_AU @AuburnBaseball receives College World Series rings during JHS recognition, after Friday's packed house at Plainsman Park.#WarEagle I #Legacy pic.twitter.com/gSDqtVJThe
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer